Arch Manning heads into Texas’ 2026 season opener with a fresh piece of bulletin-board material, and it comes from an unlikely place: USA Today.
The outlet slotted the Longhorns quarterback at No. 5 in its ranking of college football’s top quarterbacks, a placement that has already sparked plenty of pushback. Manning is set to take over as Texas’ full-time starter in Austin after spending last year behind Quinn Ewers, and plenty of observers expected him to land much closer to the top of any national list. Instead, USA Today put four other quarterbacks ahead of him and treated him like a good option, not a potential game-breaker.
The names above him are Dante Moore of Oregon, Julian Sayin of Ohio State, CJ Carr of Notre Dame and Trinidad Chambliss. The ranking also drew attention because it leans heavily toward veteran starters and big-name transfers, while one unproven quarterback cracked the top 25 and was labeled as a possible breakout for 2026.
For Manning, the No. 5 spot feels especially jarring because it doesn’t match the buzz around his profile. He brings major physical tools, and Texas is handing him a strong setup around him. The Longhorns return talent at every skill position, and the offensive line is still considered one of the SEC’s better units.
That cautious approach from USA Today stands in sharp contrast to what The Athletic said in its early 2027 NFL Draft rankings. There, Manning was placed at the top of the board.
“I won’t bury the lede. If the 2027 NFL Draft were held tomorrow, Arch Manning would be the No. 1 pick - not because of his last name or lineage, but because of the promise of his traits and tape,” Dane Bruggler wrote on Aug. 18.
The Athletic’s list had Oregon’s Dante Moore right behind Manning, even though Moore posted better numbers last season. Moore completed a higher percentage of his passes and finished with more yards and touchdowns. Still, Manning earned the higher grade because of his upside and physical traits.
That split says a lot about where the debate stands right now. One major outlet sees Manning as just the fifth-best quarterback in college football. Another views him as the best quarterback prospect in the 2027 draft class.
Texas opens the season with championship expectations, and Manning now has one more reason to make the ranking look wrong fast.
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